Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Historic Atlas of Indiana Available at University Libraries

Rare Atlas of Indiana in University Libraries

Indiana was admitted to the Union on December 11, 1816, and six decades later the first important historical atlas of the state was published by Baskin, Forster, & Company in Chicago. The Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Indiana was created by Alfred T. Andreas in 1876. Copies of this invaluable resource are available as a reference item in the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection and Archives & Special Collections of University Libraries.

The atlas features 462 pages of maps of Indiana counties as they were divided in 1876. Each map includes the county seat, various townships, railroad lines, communities, churches, creeks and rivers, lakes, cemeteries, major landholders, and blacksmiths and other businesses. Colorful illustrations show courthouses and other government buildings, businesses, and private residences.

Maps of congressional, senatorial, and judicial districts of Indiana are included. Maps of the United States featuring various ethnic groups and agricultural production are featured in the front of the book. The atlas also includes thorough county histories, a business directory divided by county, and vital statistics for the United States in the back of the book. This informative atlas serves as a valuable resource for historians, historic preservationists, and genealogists.

For more information about this atlas, please contact the staff of the GRMC or Archives & Special Collections.

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